Northwest Forsyth Center Opening Celebration Set
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (July 2, 2008) – Senator Richard Burr will be the featured speaker at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 18 at 4 p.m. for Forsyth Technical Community College’s newest building. The Northwest Forsyth Center, at 3111 Big Oaks Drive, King, will house training programs for police, fire and emergency rescue technicians, general education, certified nursing assistance and industrial technology, beginning this fall.
Among the state-of-the-art facilities is a suite of four furnished rooms that will be used to simulate crime scenes. The living room, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen will also be used by fire and rescue students learning to safely transport victims and patients.
Another feature is an Emergency Medical Science lab into which an ambulance can be driven. A wireless camera will project the actions of the students in the ambulance onto a large screen.
Basic Law Enforcement students, as well as officers in the field, will have use of a soft room, with its floor and walls covered with mats, for such classes as weapons training, and a weight room, for physical strength training.
The two-story, 40,000 sq. ft. brick and block building in the northwest corner of Forsyth County was designed by the local architectural firm of Ersoy, Brake, Appleyard Associates. It sits on 52 acres, a site that could eventually accommodate additional classroom buildings. The design and construction costs amounted to $7.7 million, which were financed with state bond funds.
The design of the Northwest Forsyth Center takes into account the rapid growth Forsyth Tech has experienced over the past several years.
“It’s a modern design that will accommodate expansion,” said Ken Jarvis, Manager of Facilities and Construction for Forsyth Tech. “It will be possible to add onto the wings of the building.”
A new fire training center is also planned for the site in the near future. Jarvis said the master plan for the college calls for one or two additional buildings at a later time.
When it opens to students in August, the Northwest Forsyth Center will provide space for Forsyth Tech’s Public Service Technologies programs including Basic Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice, Emergency Medical Science, Emergency Preparedness, and Fire Protection. General Education, Certified Nursing Assistance and Industrial System Technology programs will also be housed in the center.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony will provide invited guests with the opportunity to tour the building. An open house for the general public will be held at a later date.